happens

VERB

come to pass; occur

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appear arise arrive crop up develop fall go on hit materialize meet pass result take effect take place transpire

STRONG

befall betide bump chance down ensue eventuate follow issue light proceed recur shake smoke spring stumble supervene

WEAK

be found become a fact become known become of come about come after come into being come into existence come off luck present itself stumble upon turn out turn up what goes

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cease disappear fail halt lose stop

STRONG

precede

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

happens

But the incremental disappearance of ordinary interactions raises a question worth considering: What happens when convenience becomes the organizing principle of our public lives?

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

The finding, demonstrated in mice, offers scientists a new way to investigate how the eye protects its delicate tissues and what happens when waste removal is disrupted.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

That happens in football - it happened to me - when you know what you can't do, as much as you know what you can do.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

Is it compassionate to leave people detached from reality out on the cold street, or to police when something terrible happens?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

“He finds out about everything. What if the worst happens? This Tyler Kent character claims to have met with Mum. What if they really were working together?”

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin